


Aoife: Woven Strands

by Tress13



Series: Aoife Verd Stories [3]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: D&D druids, Friendship, Gen, Homebrew Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21905509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tress13/pseuds/Tress13
Summary: Aoife tries to express herself and her feelings for her friends after a difficult couple of days.
Series: Aoife Verd Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1468438
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Aoife: Woven Strands

That evening Aoife scrambled up a tree besides the residence the group had been given leave to stay at.  
She climbed into the tree with her bag slung over her shoulder - just barely managing to not fall - and started writing a letter.

Leaning against the rough bark of the trunk, Aoife hummed quietly to herself, tapping her feet to an unsteady beat on the branch. She was easily distracted from her writing and would occasionally giggle to herself or stare off into the night sky - a sight that would usually bring comfort.  
The lack of any hint of moon or stars over Barovia was instead a reminder of her current situation.  
As Aoife continued the letter the giggles came less frequently. Her shoulders hunched over as she curled in on herself; Aoife sniffled and tried not to cry, biting her lower lip.  
  
Eventually Aoife stopped writing.  
Aoife closed her eyes tight and stayed perfectly still for a full minute before releasing a large sigh. Her shoulders tensed and shook slightly.  
The minute passed.

Aoife's brow furrowed as she lit the paper in her hands with the smallest of flames, letting ashes and scattered pieces fall to the ground.  
She breathed slowly and watched the rolling dark clouds of Barovian night. Her hands fiddled with her woven belt constantly as she cuddled into Lil'Bean - who was currently shifted into a shawl around Aoife’s shoulders.  
  
Aoife closed her eyes tight once more, and as soon as she opened them she sat up and rummaged through her pack.  
She pulled out small bundles of vines, hemp thread, and seeds. Small sparks of green magic followed by drying and preserving with yellow and orange sparks flowed from Aoife’s fingers as she started to twist, braid, and weave.

~~~~~~

Ivy was a bit of an enigma to Aoife.  
In Aoife’s mind Ivy was skilled and clever clever hands, a quick wit. She wasn't one for forging intimate friendships, at least not quickly.  
Ivy appeared to understand herself well - she knew what she wanted, what her strengths and weaknesses were. Aoife admired that, the ability to know oneself and trust in that.  
Thinking of Ivy, Aoife started a tight braid with her vine and hemp threads, bringing magic to blossoming seeds in the weave; the design of the knots sharp and tight.

Aoife suspected that Ivy may not return to the group's shared rooms.  
Ivy was a reliable companion, whatever she may say to the contrary, but she tended to keep a purposeful distance from certain kinds of connections and emotions. It wasn’t what Aoife was used to from most of her friends and family in Silver Leaf - but the need to have something personal and seperate was. . . understandable.

Once she'd finished, Aoife looked around. She had very briefly seen Ivy grab a drink and a pastry before climbing up the side of a building. Perhaps she was still at a higher vantage point? Aoife thought about it for a minute before slowly - but clearly and with some show - standing up on her branch and nimbly balancing her way over to the edge of the window. She twisted a woven hemp and lilac chain bracelet around a piece of amber and placed it on the top of Ivy’s pack.

~~~~~~

Moon was a steady and constant friend.  
The perfect companion for hugs; a quiet and warm shoulder to lean on.  
If Aoife was honest, she had been relieved to have another dweller of the northern wilds around (although she wished that Moon could instead be safe with her special friend and grandparents, and not in Barovia). It was clear that Moon was often sad and . . . yearning for something? Home? Her friend? Aoife wasn’t sure.  
Thinking of Moon’s soft and quiet presence, Aoife chose a set of vines and flower seeds and started to twist and braid.

Aoife. . . realized that she also wasn’t sure where Moon was after the night of drinking and revelry.  
Moon didn’t seem very comfortable indoors with beds, but after such a hard day maybe she’d accept a soft mattress? Or maybe she was with her cat friend?  
Either Way - Moon deserved the chance to rest. It wouldn’t do any good to wake her up and create stress.

Aoife headed to the group’s supplies and found Moon’s pack. Very gently she wrapped the vine woven bracelet around one of the bag’s straps; bright spots of blue where forget-me-nots dotted the chain.

~~~~~~

Makda was somehow both a consistent and ever changing presence in Aoife’s mind.  
They were strong, smart, and determined and . . . honestly, Aoife had been enamored when she first met them, but soon let that fade seeing how lovely and sweet Makda and Ireena were on each other.  
As she got to know Makda better, the steady determination, strong will, and quite kindness reminded Aoife of her older siblings - Lonan and Solvi. After the first Barovian nightmare, Makda had been a reassuring presence. Aoife wanted desperately to show Makda how important they were - to her and to the group - but Aoife could never quite seem to convey the right words or the right sentiment. Her words always clumsy and not right.  
  
Looking through her pack, Aoife wasn’t able to find all the flower seeds that she’d wanted but. . . there was one seed at least, and ...hmmm, yes that would do.  
With thoughts of Makda in her mind - their passion, their fortitude, their loyalty and earnestness - Aoife started a braid of knots that formed a spiral and finally connected into a bracelet.

Makda had trained and then retired much, much earlier in the evening. . . the whole group needed rest after the day. Aoife wasn’t sure if they would want to be disturbed, and there was a good chance that they might be with Ireena.  
Aoife made her way to Makda’s pack and left the floral chain bracelet wrapped around the bag’s latch: a large marigold and several lilacs facing outwards and a single tiger lily - too large for the chain - was left on top.

~~~~~~

Hestia was all cleverness and sharpness: spell, power, and mystery. . .  
Or at least that had been Aoife’s image of Hestia when she first met the dwarven warlock.  
  
Aoife learned overtime that Hestia was also dedicated, kind, and funny - a wonderful friend. As much as Hestia’s mysterious patron made Aoife worried, Hestia was a joy to know.  
Aoife ran a finger along the floral carving on the wooden ring that Hestia had gifted her - no, not just gifted, but crafted for her! Being given something by a friend in the depths of the Amber Temple. . . that had filled Aoife with so much joy and helped her continue through the darkness of Barovia.  
With a final touch along a tiny carved petal, Aoife selected the appropriate seeds from a pouch and started twisting vines and small earth magics together.

Aoife’s fingers tied the final knot and she smiled down at the bracelet she had crafted for her friend. Small purple verbena blossoms dotted the chain with the occasional larger deep violet blossom of wolfsbane.  
When Aoife went to the group’s supplies later that night - practically early that morning - she left the woven bracelet curled on top of Hestia’s bag.

~~~~~~

Iddra was the closest thing to the sun that Aoife had experienced since they group had entered Barovia.  
Iddra was love, and light, and life; a bright spot that pulled others into her warmth.  
Aoife could hardly imagine surviving in Barovia without her - and not just because of her holy magic and healing (as essential as those were), but for the joy and love she brought to the group.  
  
Talking with Iddra the night before had been. . . difficult for her.  
Aoife wasn’t use to keeping emotions and thoughts bottled up, but somehow her self doubts had gotten stuck in her throat. Aoife's doubts had not left, but Iddra’s presence had certainly soothed them.  
Aoife wasn’t sure what the future would hold or if she was prepared. . . but she was reasonably sure she wouldn’t be alone.  
It was with these thoughts in mind that Aoife started forming a floral chain to make a bracelet for Iddra.

Once Aoife had finished weaving flower chain bracelets, she went to the group’s supplies and coiled the bracelet on the top of Iddra’s pack. Viscaria in pink and blue dotted the weave of the chain; overtop, Aoife laid a single sunflower.

~~~~~~

Saveen was an easy person to like.  
He was thoughtful, resourceful, and very sweet. Aoife would have thought he was great little brother material - Aoife didn’t care that he was centuries older, she wanted a little sibling for once - but to top it all off he was also absolutely sweet and adorable with Iddra, which only increased Aoife’s estimation of him.  
  
The Barovians had been dealt a horrible hand, the strongest defining trait of the people seemed to be the misery that hung heavy across the whole land.   
Aoife couldn’t help but wish for something better for the people here.  
This was such a small thing, but it was something that Aoife could do for Saveen now. Aoife shifted the seeds in her bag while she chewed on her lip. . . .very large flowers were difficult for a bracelet but . . . .

Later that night while walking through the supplies, Aoife stopped by Saveen’s pack. She thought that he might be awake considering the elven trance but just in case (and in case he was with Iddra), she’d just leave her small offering here.   
A bracelet of daisies and viscaria she left on his pack, and woven into the latch a large sunflower and single bright viscaria.

~~~~~~

Ezmerelda was absolutely fucking brilliant. Everything about her seemed sharp, strong, and quick: her tactics, her intelligence, her magic. . . .also her loyalty and friendship - it was still sharp, but it was also clear, strong, and true. Aoife couldn’t help but be fascinated by the other woman’s no-nonsense attitude that on certain occasions could melt into sharp humor, laughter, and fierce friendship. Aoife wouldn’t trade any of that for anything.  
The happiness in Ezmerelda’s eyes - in Hestia’s - made the world a hundred times brighter to Aoife’s eyes.  
Keeping Ezmerelda in her thoughts, Aoife started to braid a pattern of knots and twists into a bracelet. She’d pause occasionally to choose a seed, and with a flare of small magic brought to bear would set it to flowering.

At the end of the night, as Aoife walked through the group’s bags she placed a braided flower bracelet upon Ezmerelda’s pack. Rows of purple wolfsbane with the occasional verbena blossom lined the chain.

~~~~~~

Ireena was the first Barovian the group had gotten close to after their unexpected arrival.  
Even when first meeting Ireena, her fierce spirit and hunger for better - better for herself, for her family, for her lover, for her friends, for the world - had been apparent.   
As Ireena had gotten the chance to travel with them and explore, her drive only seemed to grow.  
  
Aoife could understand that drive. She found it inspiring and she wanted to see Ireena succeed. She wanted to see Ireena grow and reach soaring heights in the light of day outside of Barovia.  
Aoife’s fingers twisted and wove the vines around each other. Little flashes of earth magic flew from her fingers she slipped budding seeds into the weave.

Ireena’s pack was quite nice, obvious quality a sign of the money that came with an old name. Aoife carefully wrapped Ireena’s flower bracelet about one of the pack’s straps. The bracelet was thick with lilacs, a single marigold - brilliant orange like an ember - rose from amidst the sea of purple.

~~~~~

Kazimir was a relief and a joy to have with the group.   
Aoife worried that maybe he wasn’t aware of that fact.   
  
Aoife had lived most of her life with an elder around to guide her; she was coming to realize that part of this journey would involve learning to guide herself, but needing strength from friends and family was a part of life too. Kazimir had been through so much horror, it seemed he forgot to allow himself that shared strength at times.  
He was a calming and steadying presence to Aoife. Thinking of him, wanting him to know that he was cared for as a Grandpa, Aoife picked up the vine strands and searched through her seeds for the ones she wanted to add to Kazimir’s strand of vines.

Kazimir’s bracelet was the last floral chain that Aoife finished that night.   
After placing each bracelet with the appropriate pack, Aoife hesitated before leaving the supplies area.   
She made a brief stop by the kitchen before heading towards where Kazimir was emerging from his trance.

“Gr-Grandpa? I hope I’m not interrupting? I brought some tea and. . . .I have a gift if you’d like?”  
In Aoife’s hand was a woven flower and vine bracelet, a gentle fragrance coming from the entwined chamomile and lavender.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> The letter written (and burned) at the start of this can be found here:  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127706/chapters/50283209#workskin


End file.
